By: Ashlyn L
Arkansas, Grade: 7

Dear diary,
today, out house was taken away from us. we did not have enough money to pay our rent. oh, it's so horrible! i can't believe it's happening to us. this is the kind of thing you see happen to other people, not your family. we are surrounded by our belongings on the sidewalk. there is furniture all around us. people cast pitiful glances at us as they pass by. one woman even stopped to give us a nickle. a whole nickel! can you believe it? it was obvious she had not really been affected by these hard times. she wore a crisp, flowery dress with a beautiful hat. we haven't a clue what to do now. clouds are gathering above us. it's going to rain tonight. what will we do? we have no shelter. my parents and my two older brothers are dragging all of our belongings into the woods behind our house. i am staying here to watch my little brother and two little sisters. my little brother peers over my shoulder as i write. for once, i don't mind. i hear a call. my father tells me to bring everyone into the woods. as i hustle them through the leaves i spot my parents putting tarps across low branches of trees. my brothers anchor it down and shove our furniture under to help hold it up. i move the rest of our belongings under too. there is a tarp on the ground also. my mother is making the beds. she makes five. my sisters and i will share two, and my brothers will share two, and my parents will share one. my sisters and i organize the shelter my parents have provided. everything is neat and orderly. it is dark now, and soft raindrops begin falling harder and harder, making it harder to sleep. this is truly the worst night i've ever had. what will we do in the days to come?